Kop still hoping to convince Chile World Cup star to join them in part exchange for bite-ban striker but if not the Spaniards will pay full buyout clause

Liverpool will bank a staggering £75.5million from Luis Suarez’s move to Barcelona.

Anfield chief executive Ian Ayre has struck a deal that will see Barca pay the full terms of the buy-out clause in the bite-ban striker's contract.

Liverpool were hoping to recruit Alexis Sanchez as a makeweight in the deal.

The Chile winger is reluctant to leave Spain but if he is forced out does not want to move to Anfield. He would prefer to join Arsenal.

Last night, the Merseysiders – who tabled a £34m bid for Sanchez just before the World Cup when it first became obvious that Suarez wanted to leave – were still refusing to give up on landing the 25-year-old.

But if Sanchez cannot be persuaded to join Liverpool inside the next 48 hours then they will take the cash deal.

But a senior Anfield source said: “Significant finances have already been made available to the manager and if Suarez leaves that cash will supplement the fund.”

Many Liverpool fans will be devastated that Suarez is leaving, despite the Uruguayan being hit with a four-month ban from all football for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini.

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Bite club: Suarez and his dramas are set to become Barcelona's problem

But Ayre has conducted a remarkable piece of business for a player who cost £22m from Ajax just over three years ago.

Barcelona were the only club interested in buying Suarez after Real Madrid dropped out of the running following the third biting controversy of his career.

But when Ayre met Barcelona representatives in London on Wednesday, he made it clear he would walk away unless he was given assurances that they were ready to meet the buy-out clause in Suarez’s contract.